LOCAL Public Eatery South Common — Restaurant in Edmonton

Edit: The managers of LOCAL reached out and treated my family to a wonderful lunch today. Service by Izzy was fantastic, drinks were delicious, and food portions & taste were excellent. I am thoroughly impressed that not only did the managers reach out to me, they actually promptly followed through their promise to treat us. LOCAL truly cares about their patrons :)

I go out to eat with family every weekend and I'd say this was probably the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. I initially planned to go to Montana's but as I drove in the parking lot, I noticed Local, and I like trying new restaurants, so I decided to try it out. (I wish we had gone to Montana's).

The hostess was super smiley and friendly and seated us (2 adults, 2 kids) immediately which was a good start. But everything went downhill from there. The server was very cold and seemed annoyed with everything. My kids (being kids) took a while to choose a drink to start, and the server just walked away to the next table, without saying a word or telling us she'll give us more time or will be back. Nothing. Just walked away. Then my mother asked her for napkins - the server smirked and brought us 2 napkins. When my mom's food arrived (chicken curry), there was tons of sauce and she thought it was soup and told the server that wasn't what she ordered and was very upset. While I was explaining to my mom that it was what she ordered, the server just walked away to the next table again without saying a word. She didn't ask if everything was okay with my mom's entree or ask what the issue was - she just walked away. There wasn't a single smile from her the entire night. No personality. No effort to make our evening enjoyable.

When I got the bill, I decided that after an evening of horrible service, that I would not give as large of a tip as I usually do. I handed over a $100 bill to the server and she smirked and walked away. She didn't say thank you or have a good night or ANYTHING. Just smirked and walked away. I then decided to politely give the server some feedback and told her that I didn't feel that she provided good service tonight and instead of just taking the feedback or apologizing, she was confrontational, and defensive, and said she thought her service was "great".

The only bright side of the evening was speaking to the host (young, tall gentleman) as we left the restaurant. He asked how everything was and I told him the horrible experience I had with the server. He was professional, very attentive, a good listener, and validated my experience. He asked me if I wanted to speak to a manager, but I declined because my intention on telling him what happened was more to vent, and not to get anyone in trouble.

However, I have decided to write a review because I was very taken aback by the server's attitude towards my family and myself all evening and hope that she has some further training in customer relations. And the host deserves a raise and a promotion!

To be honest, I'll probably go to Montana's next door from now on though. This experience at Local Public Eatery put a bad taste in my mouth - both literally, and...

If I could give the bar team at Local South Edmonton Common six stars, I’d hack into Google’s backend myself to make it happen. This crew doesn’t just serve drinks. They summon liquid joy from the heavens and serve it with a side of soul therapy.

Ashley isn’t a bartender.. she’s a booze oracle. She looked me in the eyes, saw every regret I’ve ever had, and then handed me a drink that tasted like closure and mild self-delusion. Legend has it she once diffused a bar fight using only a Moscow Mule and a quote from The Notebook.

Cole is a golden retriever in human form. Boundless energy, stupidly good-looking, and somehow always there with a fresh pint before you even think about being thirsty. I'm 78% sure he doesn’t blink. He just watches over the bar like a caffeinated guardian angel with perfectly tousled hair.

Connor could charm the pants off a mannequin. The man pours a Guinness like he’s conducting a symphony, and his banter is so sharp I now question my own intelligence. He also convinced my buddy Derek (a notorious gin snob) to switch to beer, which is like converting a Catholic mid-mass. I don’t know how he does it… dark magic, probably.

Monica? Monica is an experience. She once remembered my entire friend group’s drink order after a single visit, and I’m pretty sure she’s got at least partial custody of my soul now. Her vibe is “cool aunt who knows where the drugs are but also gives great life advice.”

The entire team runs this place with the operational efficiency of a German train station pre-1945, obviously. Because after that, well... things went off the rails. (World War Too soon? Don’t care. It’s on brand.)

And finally, Evelina. Oh, Evelina. You radiant, unflappable hostess of good vibes. Your smile could stop traffic. Your drink selection skills? Flawless. If I had a nickel for every time you made my night better, I’d own a controlling stake in Molson-Coors.

Saving the best for last… Payge. Penultimate cat-lady, operational guru, a paragon of patience, at least when it comes to my shenanigans. Her ability to run this place like a finely tuned Swiss watch is only matched by her ability to tolerate my BS ❤️

Bottom line: Come for the drinks. Stay for the people. Leave questioning why your own family doesn’t treat you this...

We were seated quickly and comfortably. Beverages were ordered and brought out without delay. The servers were friendly, genuine, and noticeably happy to be there — which says a lot about the kind of positive work environment this place fosters.

Food came out remarkably fast, yet the presentation was so artful it was clear no corners were cut. The vibrant colors, thoughtful plating, and tempting smells made me reach for my phone to take photos before my fork ever touched the plate.

I ordered the BBQ rice bowl and was immediately intrigued by the perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg nestled on top. I generally hated crispy-bottomed eggs, so I was on guard. But this one? A revelation! The golden-edged crispness complemented the dish like a perfectly toasted crust does a gooey grilled cheese — adding just the right contrast without overpowering the tender rice and savory BBQ. Each bite offered something new: a hit of smoky sauce, pops of fresh herbs, the richness of the egg yolk, and that delicate crunch that tied it all together.

My son ordered the nachos and was equally spellbound. These weren’t your average nachos — each chip was generously layered, with melted cheese stretching like warm sunshine over layers of soiced ground beef, zesty salsa, onions, jalapeños and sour cream. Normally, we’d trade bites, but this time we just ate in happy silence, pausing only for occasional “Mmmm”s.

My husband, who arrived a bit later, trusted me to order for him. I chose something he never would have picked himself — Malaysian Curry Bowl — but he devoured it, declaring he’d happily order it again.

If you haven’t eaten here yet, take this as your sign. This isn’t just dinner — it’s a plate-by-plate invitation to fall in love with food again. Just in case you need extra incentive - the washrooms were...